Emiro said it is a "shame" and "horrible" that current chairman Wayne MacDonald and vice chair Cliff Hurst are not running for an additional term.

Emiro lost a big to return to the state House last month. He said he wanted to be involved in party leadership to "help move New Hampshire forward." He picked the vice chair spot because J.P. Marzullo was running unopposed.

"[Marzullo] is not a bad person, but I believe there should always be a choice. When I go to a doughnut shop there are all kinds of choices," Emiro said. "Plus J.P. worked for [Republican nominee for governor] Ovide [Lamontange] and that might because Ovide took such a pounding."

While Lamontagne did lose the governor's race, among the party's base who will make up those voting for vice chair in January, Lamontagne is still a popular figure.

In 2010, Emiro came in fourth out of four Republican primary candidates with 3 percent of the vote.